Motor vehicle



March 26, 1929. l.. QLDFIELDQET Al. 157063,83,

-||o'ron VEHICLE v .A mea Jungla, 1925 A 8 Sneet-shm 1' March-26, 1929. L.. (n DFn-zl- ID fr Ax.

MOTOR VEHICLE ,v

Filed June V13, i925 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 7W .s 5M. Mf, w y A 1 EMM- dL. mW/wmu l ew.. @W H L i L. OLDFIELD ET AL MOTOR VEHICLE Filed June 13, 41925 March ze, 1929.

MOTOR VEHICLE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 13, 1925 .e 4u EJ, v 0 e le 9 e, NM y b N\ Nm mx N NQ azz/fam March 26, 1929. LDF|ELD ET AL 1,706,983

-MoToR VEHICLE Filed June is. 1925 e sheets-sheet 5 uw f j; n 675 57 5 gi 65 1 I March 26, "1929. L. OLDFIELD ET AL MOTOR VEHICLE Filed June 13, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 M i1 I VE [Il March 26, 1929. L. QLDFJIELD ET AL, 1,706,983

MOTOR VEH I CLE Filed June 15, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 I A ffl ed olif/.5077; e?. by c March 26, 1929. L. OLDFIELD ET AL 1,706,983

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed 4June: l5, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 8 CII Patented Mar. 26: 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFleE.

LEE OLDFIELD `AND CHARLES REED ROWLSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

Application led June 13, 1925. Serial No.-36,880.

lost due to the necessity. of the driver 'entering the vehicle each time it has to be moved to vthe next point of delivery. Under such circumstances, the superior speed and tirelessness of the ordinary mechanical vehicle does not compensate for the dela-ys in delivery due to the increased laborimposed on the operator. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved system of automotive vehicle control adapted to render the operation of the vehicle as easy as possible, to place thecontrol of' the vehicle on a parity with a horse drawn vehicle by permitting the operator to advance. the vehicle without entering the same with no more delay than if a driver should grasp the bit or reins to lead a horse to the next point of. delivery.

Itis also an object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified body structure of a unit construction separated from and attached to the chassis 'at a minimum number of points to permit rapid removal.

It is a further object of this invention to construct' the various parts of the chassis and power plants as individual units readily removable from the vehicle for replacement or repairs. For example, the body may be removed by disconnecting the driving controls and the body brackets, the other elements being unattached thereto while either the front or the rear assembly may be removed by disconnecting the direct attachments to thel body and to the frame. The engine may be removed from beneath the body along with the rear assembly by disconnecting the exhaust pipes and the necessary operating controls.

It is another object of thisinvention vto provide unit assemblies of parts wherein each unit performs a dual purpose in order to simplify the mechanism and greatly reduce the number of parts and the cost of manufacture.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved spring and supporting structure wherein the unsprung weight of the axles is reduced to the minimum possible weight involving only the wheels and bearing supports therefor. Such a reduction of un sprung weight also reduces the body weight required to assure easy riding qualities masmuch as the ratio of sprung to unsprung weight for the best spring action is approximately 10 to 1.

It is another object of this invention to provide a double transverse spring mounting adapted to entirely eliminate the ordinary 4 iXed axle and to maintain parallelism between the wheels while permitting entirely independent up and down motion of either wheel.

It is stillanother object of this invention to provide an improved wheel mounting whcrc' inthe ordinary projecting hub and hub cap are eliminated.

It is a further object of thisinvention to provide an improved chassis frame for an automotive vehicle wherein intermediate loading of the frame is eliminated thus greatly reducing the required rigidity and strength of the frame. l

Other and further important objects `of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

l Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle embodying the features of this invention. Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2 showing the control mechanism. f

vFigure 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4 4 of Figure 3 showing part of the control linkage.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Flgure 3 showing the chassis parts.

Figure 6 is an end withparts broken away.

Figure 7 is :1n-enlarged section on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8--8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is an end view of the with 'parts broken away. Figure 10 is an enlarged section on the line 10--10 of Figure 9.

front axle View of the rear axle Y Figure 11 is a fragmentary top planview of the steel-mg gear.

Figure 12 1s a sect-lon on the line 12-12 of Figure 10.

. Figure 5 alonir the crankshaft. of the engine. H 1') Figure 16 is a section on vthe line iti- 16 of Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a section on the line 17-1'7 of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a section on the line 18-18 of Figure 15.

Figure 19 is a section on the line 19-19 of f Figure 15.

Figure 20 is a sect-ion on the line 20-29 of Figure 19. Figure 21 is a section on the line 21-21 of Figure 19. t Figure 22 is a section on the line 22-22 of Figure 21.

Figure 23 is a plan view of the gear shift plate or quadrant.

As shown on the drawings:

The type of vehicle shown is that of a commercial delivery truc'k suitable for repeated stops as in the delivery of commodities such as ice ormilk. WVhile this invention is by no means limited to such vehicles used for house to house delivery, the arrangement of the controls brought out hereinafter is especially adaptable for such uses as the movement of the vehicle can be controlled externally of the vehicle so that in making house to house deliveries the driver is not required to enter the vehicle to advance the same if the next point of delivery is but a few doors away.

A body 30 is shown for such service and comprises a fioor 31 stepped up at front 32 and rear 33 to provide space thereunder for the respective supporting assemblies. An entry door 34 is provided on each side and for certain classes of services rear doors may be fitted. The body is preferably built up in sections or panels, one or more for each surface, and the panels attached to a framework such as the angle-irons 35 indicated in the figures. Such a construction enables ready replacen'ient of damaged sections as well as greatly simplifying the manufacture of the body. A. drivers seat can of course be provided if desired.

The body is supported directly over each supporting assembly by means of brackets 36 and 37 extending from the axle centers to ability is preferably n ototherwise secured thereto, so that disconnecting the driving control members and the two brackets will allow removal of the body as a whole.

The chassis fralne comprises two longitunal members 38 which may be in the t'orm ot tubes and which at the front are bolted in sockets 39 in a member 4() forming a spring seat and spacer to which the front body bracket is also fastened. The frame members are also secured in similar sockets or clamps 41 formed on-the transmission and dill'erential housing which serves as a spring seat member and space and will be described hereinafter. 'lhe chassis frame members also serve as exhaust pipes for the engine and are therefore extended rearwardly to t'orm exhaust nozzles 42. 1t will be evident from tho'construction of the chassis frame that it is not subject to bending loads except trom that due to the weight of the engine partially support-ed thereon and that the frame is therefore chiey a tie between the front and rear supporting assemblies, the body being supported at said assemblies. To remove an axle spring and wheel assembly as a unit, it is only necessary to disconnect the two chassis members and block up the body to slide the assembly out from underneath.

- The front axle spacing member 4-0 is provided with spring-seat pads 43 at top and bottom and is centrally apertured for the steering wheel shaft 44- which extcnds'u p into the body; vertical stiti'ening webs 45 being provided adjacent the aperture. No axle, as the term is customarily understood, connects the two wheels as laminated springs 4G are bolted to the top and bottom of the spacing member 40 and are directly connected to knuckle pins or king bolts L17 in members forming the equivalent of steering knuckles 48. The front wheel hubs 49 are formed as a part of the knuckles 46 and therefore do not rotate, while the wheel spindles 50 rotate within the hubs and are preferably integral with a wheel disc 51 to which disc wheels 52 may be attached in the usual manner. Such a structure can be made to give center point steering if desired because of the reversal of direction of the wheel spindle.

The springs 46 may be of unequal strength and periods of vibration if desired to dampen out the vibrations of one spring by means ot' the other spring. The springs are irml secured to the king bolts, in this way materially stiflening the springs by causing compound exure thereof as distinguishedfrom the simp'leflexure of springs secured'by shackles. The two springs and the king bolts form parallelograms on either side of the central spacer member 40 and therefore maintain correct alignment of the two wheels irrespective of unequal vertical deflection vof the two wheels. Therefore the vehicle can pass over rou h ground without weaving of the body and chassis as either wheel can yield llt) or drop to the extent necessary without affecting the other because of the elmnnatjion of a rigid axle between the wheels.

The steering. mechanism comprises aend of the steering wheel' shaft meshes with the rack to cause movement thereof. Tie bars 55, engaging each end of the rack, meet to form a ball socket 56 bolted about a ball ended stud 57 secured in a flexible or spring tie and connecting rod 58 having ball sockets at its ends engaging balls on steering knuckle arms 59 extending from the steering knuckles. The tie rod 58 is not intended to be longitudinally yielding but to oifer lit-tlc f resistance to the movement of individual wheels. The whole steering'mechanism'can be removed from the chassis by disconnecting two ball joints and removing the bracket 53. The elimination of adrag link results in the elimination of steering troubles due to spring lexure.

The rear assembly is constructed on principles similar to the front axle, the upper and lower cross springs 60: and 61 seating on brackets 62and 63 formed on' the differential housing 64 and being xed at their outer ends to spacer members 65 forming a dust cover for an internal gear 66 forming a part of the rear wheel hubs 67, a spur gear 68 being supported in a boss on the member 65.

The differential housing 64 contains the usual bevel gear and differential assembly 69 with stud shafts 70 terminating in universal joints 71, the shafts also carrying brake drums -7 2. A short shaft 73 connects the universaljoints 71 to a second joint 74 secured to the spur gear 68 engaging the wheel gear 66. Such a `flexible connection is desirable -because of the elimination of an axle housing tying the two wheels tgether, and f it permits either rear Wheel to move independently of the other.' The wheel loads are transferred to the springs spacer memblers 65 through a wheel spindle 75 attached to the wheel hub and suitably journalled in the hub member 67.

I, The power plant comprises a water-cooledtwo cylinder-*horizontal opposed engine, the,

cylinders 76 of which may be integral with the crankcase 77 and may have either'water vor air cooled cylinder heads 78. The water jacket 7 9 extends about that part of the cylinder barrels exposed to the. products of combustion 'and terminates below in a deep "pocket 80 having a drain opening 81 largeenough to remove scale as Well as to drain the Water. A flaring water hopper 82 is secured to the top of the crankcase and water jackets, a crankcasc breather pipe 83 extending tothe top of the hopper. "Inlet passages 84 may be cored in the crankcase leading 'to a flanged connection 85 at the bottom of the crankcase, a carbureter 86 being secured thereto. The valve mechanism comprlses Vinlet and exhaust valves 87 and 88 arranged in parallel valve pockets 89 and actuated by suitable mechanism including rocker arms 90, pivoted on a rocker shaft 91 and a. camshaft 92 above the crankshaft 96, and driven therefrom bythe gearing 91.4 The flywheel 95 carries a single plate clutch 96 connected to the transmission shaft 97 which-carries the sliding speed change gears 98 and 'a jaw clutch 99 adapted to be engaged by a startdiil'erential housing. d

The transmission includes a two speed .and

reverse sliding gear mechanism, thedouble i gear 98 sliding forward on the shaft 97 toy engage a hi h speed gear 102.0n a stub shaft` 103 and slit ing rearwardly to engage a low .speed gear 104 on the same shaft which carries a bevel gear 105 meshing withV the differential ring gear. Reverse rotation of the final drive is accomplished withthe sliding double gear 98 in neutral position by oscillat- `ing a double width idler gear 106 to bring one side of said gear into'nfesh with one of the sliding gears while the other side of said idler gear meshes with the low speed gear mg crankshaft projecting clear ofthe i 10d. Oscillationv of the double idler gear 106 i is accomplished'by niountingit on a crank shaft 107 having apinion 108 pinned thereto and engaging a verticallymovable rack 109 to oscillatethe gear 106 about the axis of th pinion 108.- i 1 The transmission speed changes and re-l verse is accomplished by a single lever 110 convenient to the driver and having a rocking motion in a plane transverse to the body and a bodlymovem'ent fore and aft of the body,

'the lever being connected to a shaft 111 jour- `nailed beneath the body and terminating in a double ended lever 112 having a ball end 1'13 engaging a shifting lever'lla adapted to shift the sliding double gear v101 to rovide the two forwardl speeds when the l ver 110 is moved fore and aft. The other end 115 of the double lever 112 .engages within a U- shaped member 116 secured to the vertically movable rack 109 which controls the-reverse idling gears. A guide plate d is bolted to the' transmission housing and engages about the lever 112 adjacent the end 115 thereof and serves' to constrain the reverse gear en'gagementt'o a position wherein` the sliding double gear 98 is positively held in neutral position.

The clutch and brake ,controlcomprises a lao ward movement ot' the levers 118 serving to' apply the brakes. rl"he rod 123 terminates short ofthe brake mechanism and engages a clutch operating lever 126, a shoit i'od 127 ext-ending. from this pin joint -to the brake mechanism. The clutch lever 126 turns a cross shaft 128 on which' is mounted a cam 129 operating the clutch throw out fork 130 which is pivoted at 131 within the transmission case. In the operation of the controls, a forward movement of either clutch and brake lever 118 allows engagement of the clutch. for movement of the Vehicle, while rearward movement thereof disengages the i clutch and applies the brakes on the rear assembly. The neutral position allows coasting forexamplewith the clutch disengaged and the .brakes free. In effect this gives a control of the vehicle closely resembling that of an electric truck together with the advantage of independence of a charging stat-ion an'd lower first cost and attendance of an internal combustion engine power plant.

vWe are aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and we therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted heieon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an automotive vehicle, front and rear axle units each comprising a pair of pa 'allel cross springs, a central spacci' for the front pair, a power unit and transmission forn'iing the spacer for the rear pair, and wheel mountings rigidly secured to the ends of the springs to maintain the parallelism of said springs.

2. In an automotive vehicle, front and rear axle units each comprising a pair of parallel cross springs, a central spacci' for the front 1pair, a power unit and transmission forming the spacci' for the rear pair, and means independent of a vehicle body adapted to maintain parallelism between said front and rear axle units.

3. In an automotive vehicle, front and rear axle units comprisine` parallel cross springs, central spacers to w iich the springs are secured, wheel mountings'forining spacers for the ends of the springs, and means for immovably securing said spring ends to said Wheel mountings.

4. An axle for vehicles comprising parallel spaced springs, a spacer member having the centers of said springs secured thereto, wheel mountings adapted to serve as spacers for the ends of said springs, and means adapted to rigidly secure saidspring` ends to said wheel mountings.-

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names. LEE OLDFIELD. CHARLES REED ROWLSON. 

